Whether you’re a professional photographer or just enjoy snapping shots for recreation, you’re not going to be very happy with your government’s new plan. The U.S. Forest Service has put into motion a law to fine citizens at least $1,000 for taking pictures of the outdoors.

If one would like to take a picture they must first purchase a photography permit for a whopping $1,500 from the feds. Even a cell phone camera counts.

“It’s pretty clearly unconstitutional,” Gregg Leslie, legal defense director at the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press said in an interview.

“The Forest Service needs to rethink any policy that subjects noncommercial photographs and recordings to a burdensome permitting process for something as simple as taking a picture with a cell phone,” Sen. Ron Wyden (OR), told the press. “Especially where reporters and bloggers are concerned, this policy raises troubling questions about inappropriate government limits on activity clearly protected by the First Amendment.”

Rumors are starting to emerge that these new rules are being set up to discourage and punish media outlets that report on environmentally destructive accidents such as chemical or oil spills. The theory does start to make some sense when you consider that on average there have been over 250 pipeline spill incidents per year in the U.S. alone, during the last 20 years. To clarify, not a single year dropped below 220 accidents. More than 2.5 million barrels of hazardous liquids were spilled and little more than half of those spills were recovered in cleanup efforts.

If you would like to submit a formal comment in regard to photography permits the official .gov is now open for comments. Submit one by following this link.